Apple is recalling old power adapters due to risk of electric shock

LBuzz Lightyear on 29/01/2016 - 20:34
Last edited 29/01/2016 - 22:08 by 1 other user

Moved to Forum: Original Link

Hi Guys,

Note sure if this is a deal or not. Still, thought worth sharing the news.

Tech giant Apple has instigated a massive international recall of power point adapters across its range of portable devices after a small number were found to have broken, causing risk of electric shock.

Read the news in the attached URL

Have a nice weekend!!!

https://www.apple.com/au/support/ac-wallplug-adapter/

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Comments

  • ninetyNineCents on 29/01/2016 - 20:36
    +3

    I wonder why they havent emailed people who would have them… they know all the emails when you regsiter or purchse from their shoppe.

    • ash2000 on 29/01/2016 - 20:40
      +1

      Good point. Everyone who uses app store or icloud has a current email address registered with apple.

  • ash2000 on 29/01/2016 - 20:38

    Here's the apple page: https://www.apple.com/support/ac-wallplug-adapter/

    • ChillBro on 29/01/2016 - 20:43

      Pretty sure they would have to give you a replacement.

  • [Deactivated] on 29/01/2016 - 20:45
    +1

    I remember seeing a lot of knock offs of these power adapters.

    However, even the real ones seem to have problems, most likely due to reasons such as insufficient cooling or not having enough space between the components.

    It reminds me of these chargers on ebay.
    http://www.righto.com/2012/11/teardown-of-mysterious-kms-4-p…
    They work well and have some safety features, but aren't really that great because on the rare occasion they will catch fire.
    http://www.saferproducts.gov/ViewIncident/1219045

    I doubt the one at Officeworks is any better as they are still jamming the same number of components into the wall charger with the same amount of clearance.
    http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/comsol-4-po…

    To be serious, I'm not sure I can trust any chargers anymore. There have been some that have been sold at Australian Retailers have also been recalled. Although, usually if no one makes a report about their charger once it catches fire, then the chargers will fall through the cracks.

    http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/faulty-…

    Quite a lot of recalled ones on this list:

    https://www.recalls.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/952814

    You might even have one of these yourself. ;-(

    I would like to see some statistics about how many people are hurt from wall chargers (genuine legitimate ones). I wouldn't be surprised to see a high hit rate.

    I think the best thing we can do is install a RCD safety switch if your house doesn't have one, otherwise it really is a lottery. Furthermore, it is good to use a powerboard that prevents overload.

    I think the problem stems from our society wanting cheap electronics. Even large manufacturers will use this mantra to cut corners and deliver the goods at the lowest cost and highest margin. They won't admit it, but it's pretty obvious. Save $5 on a charger and they can make millions more.

    • mskeggs on 29/01/2016 - 23:37
      +2

      While I don't argue with your conclusion it is driven by a desire for cheap product, I'm not sure that is relevant here.
      As I understand it, the recalled component is only the plastic adapter that holds the local power pins - not the internal electronics.

      The bigger picture trouble we have, as you point out more broadly, is the trouble economists saw with bikes in America in the 1980s.
      As people became more affluent, a new class of bike riders emerged. Unlike previous customers who wanted a reliable bike to go to work or make deliveries, these new customers wanted a bike for a weekend leisure ride or only occasional riding.
      And these new customers were price sensitive too. If you ride your bike every day to commute to work, the daily cost difference between a $365 bike or a $730 bike is only 25c per ride over a couple of years. But if you only ride a bike every month or so, a costlier bike seems a bigger impost.
      The result was a race to the bottom, which resulted in a few years where buying a quality bike was simply not possible in America because the previous quality manufacturers had gone broke, and the 'artisan' quality new manufacturers had not started.

      But circle back to chargers for a minute - I bought some SAA approved chargers this week. They are indistinguishable from the one you linked who caught fire. I suspect they are made to the same standards, but the items I bought just had somebody secure a local rating. Which reinforces your complaint that it is hard to trust any charger.

      • muncan on 30/01/2016 - 11:47

        Trust the charger sold from the company with the deepest pockets to sue.

  • spychiatrist on 29/01/2016 - 20:48
    +1

    Wow, all this time I thought it was the water cooler close to the wall power point that gave me a shock.

  • Sharp on 29/01/2016 - 21:38
    +1

    They are not recalling the whole adapter only the adaptor plugs.

    • datafellows on 29/01/2016 - 22:15
      +2

      Yeah exactly. I registered for one hoping to get another free charger and use the dodgy one as spare, but I just will get a plug…

      One can never have enough chargers ;)

    • sween64 on 01/02/2016 - 11:29

      Do they still have adaptor plugs to give out?

  • ilovepizza on 29/01/2016 - 22:27
    -1

    a cable i bought last year broke late last year, behind the bit you plug into the iphone has opened up and you can see the cables inside. it disables all my usb ports when its plugged in and windows shows a notification that there has been a short or malfunction whatever it was.

  • [Deactivated] on 29/01/2016 - 23:46
    +4

    They might as well recall all their other gadgets sighting price shock…

  • Sage on 30/01/2016 - 01:38

    also microsoft are recalling surface pro chargers.

  • Peace Maker on 30/01/2016 - 11:36

    I hope they supply a charger with correct wattage too. I remember trying to charge my iPad with the iPhone charger and kept wondering why it was taking so long. Had the two chargers mixed up!

    • SimbaGirl on 30/01/2016 - 13:19
      +1

      They're not replacing the whole charger, only the removable "duckhead" section where the prongs are - this plug section just allows the charger to be used in an Australian powerpoint (so is interchangeable for other countries) and is identical for all chargers, regardless of the device it is being used for.

  • grababargain on 30/01/2016 - 17:58
    +1

    The replacement adapter is oval shape. Credit to Brobbo from WP forum for posting photo link.
    http://talk.appletalk.com.au/uploads/default/original/2X/d/d…

    • sween64 on 01/02/2016 - 11:30

      Thanks!

  • Syd Bargain Girl on 01/02/2016 - 11:46

    They are really quick at the Apple store, was in and out with the replacement adapters within 2 minutes at Castle Hill store. Others that came in with up to 10 adapters were also looked after in the same time frame.

    • apu on 02/02/2016 - 14:56

      Whole Adapter or just the plug?

    • Flowerbomb on 05/02/2016 - 15:35

      Hey there, did you have to provide your serial number of the products for the replacement adapters?

      • bonezAU on 05/02/2016 - 15:36
        +1

        Nope. Just walked in, they had a small desk with 2 staff in the middle of the shop, queue up, takes 10 seconds for them to replace it and you walk off, no questions asked.

        • Flowerbomb on 05/02/2016 - 15:38

          I see thanks for the info. I got some of mine delivered very quickly by mail. Might go and get one from the apple store since its that easy.

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